Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-08-12
Communicated
Our Schools and EXAMINATIONS
TURKEY RUN, Aug. sth, 1851

TURKEY RUN, Aug. 9Th, lSSI
Not as a matter of opinion, pnt as
matter Of fact, apparent 10 every lnteli-
gent observer, We assert that the schools
i'm the rural districts-the country schools
tho schools for the masses have mahe
no very decided progress during the past
six, eight or ten years.
10 is very natural for persons TO inquire
whose fault this is, aud conclude That u Is
high time for a reformation.
Since the law has made provision Tor
intelligent and skilled supervision OF the
country schools a. well AZ those IN the
towns aud villages, and since many OF tue
teachers in the rural districts are never
closely inspected, or intelligently snperln-
tended. or managed, or advised IN Their
work, we think it may safely be staied
that county superintendent. are TO he
held responsible for this stand-still CON
dition of 80 many of our country schools
II was expected that the inauguration
Of a system of public schools would at
first be crude and imperfect, and the peo-
ple were prepared 10 bear with patience
the imperfectons of its infancy but their
patience is not linexhaustible, and they
expect that each year shall add something
Of strength, stability and beauty to this
institution.
Whether this years work of the school
officers and teachers will add any thing
OF this kind remains yet 10 be seen.-
Though we think it is safe TO predict tina
many Of our country schools VIII remain
on the sfand-stU or take the down-grade
road unless our superintendent takes adj
vantage Of the opportunity afforded him
this year to weed out of the profession
as far as possible all those who lack
ability to teach, ability to govern, ana
the power to interest and fix the attention
of the class, the power to illustrate ana
apply principles, the power to inspire,
guide, and control pupils in self-culture'
and pass only a sufficient number to sup
ply his schools.
The normal school should discover and
select the natural teacher, and weed out
the incapables, and should develop,
strengthen, and stimulate the capacity OF
the capables to teach, and superintendent
McInturh's connection with the Stras-
burg normal and his examination at the
close of it will afford him fine oppor-
tunity TO do this most important OF all
normal work, and it is expected that he
will rid the profession at once OF as many
of the incapables IA can be spared nom
its ranks, thus doing away with last years
surplus and preventing TO some extent
this ridiculous bidding for cheap teachers.
The rejection of some who have Kept
school and come, as Mr. s. says, pre-
pared to prove by our answers to ms
questions that we are qualified for teach
ing. &C." will no doubt stir mp bad
blood. but we say stand firm and teach
them to know that they may answer cor
rectly all of your questions and yet lack
in other important qualifications, and thar
on tho road of progress the unworthy
must drop out by the way.
We don't think it very cOmmendable IN
n superintendent to have a surplus OF
teachers when he declares that number
of them passed the examination with the
greatest difficulty. We therefore beg
leave TO ask for lust enough this year and
none to spare and Just please let them
come somewhat sparingly that the big
fish NAV at least have one nlbblc at the
best and most desirable bait. for we are
snre from our knowledge of their various
appetitcs that the mnnows can be caught
in ample time with mlnnow bait.
Now there are mysteries connected with
these examinations that one OF our limited
caoacity can hardly understand.
We think we can see as far into mill
stone rs any other one eyed man, bat We
can't possibly see how any one person,
however well qualified to test, by any
mere literary trial, the capacity, ability,
the needed energy. enthusiasm, common
sense. the power-the capabllities-oi orr
applicant TO teach school. Is the object
of examinations to discover whether
person il competent to teach or simply
TO ascertain what knowledge he has of the
branches Is it to find ont whether he has
ability to do what he proposes to do or
merely whether he has committed to
memory the answers TO the questions IN
few text books Judging from the shape
in which we have frequently and most
generally found the examiners questions
we are forced to conclude that the 0bleci
of examinations is to test the elasticity OF
the memory.
ANY dullard will admit that it is not the
one that knows the most that always
teaches the best school. And every one
knows that it is not "A knowledge OF me
branches exclusively that makes the
teacher. There are qualifications more
important than book knowledge Ihere
must be a power or faculty that the pres
emf method OF examination can not as
cover, the very qualification too most
necessary that our examiners shouid aus
cover. and IL was knowledge of this
fact. no doubt, that caused superintendent
McInturff TO express his inability to Dc
satisfied unless all the teachers OF his
county attend the Strasburg normal nj
least a mart of the term that he might
have an opportunity TO discover ana select
the natural teacher, and weed out the III
capables. We have little confidence IN
sunerintendent who will not make every
effort to develop and strengthen the
capacity of the cGpdbles to teach ana
weed ont the inoapGbies, and If this was
Mr.. McInturfi1s object IN holding a nor
NAL at Strasburg this year, he had rlght
10 insist upon all the teachers OF his CONN.,
ty attending that school. H..
But we are DEPRESSING. Before we Close
we wish to apprise the trustees ana peo-
pie generally of the simple TACT that as
examinations are conducted, 1t IL simply
| impossible for q superintendent 10 Ies'
| fairly or even approximately the oapao'i,,
ity. the needed energy, earnesiness' ana
common sense the manhood and woman
| hood needed by an applicant 10 "'cn'-
W., therefore claim that these e. ma
tions are largely farce and extraNasahl
! follv. To limited extent, the examiner
ascertains what knowledge the applicant
has of the branches, but he 80 utterly
fails to find out whether the applicant
has the ability to do what he proposes
to do that we can no longer refrain lFonl
denouncing examinations failures
IL is true that no one can teach unleS'
be has A knowledge of the branches, Dn'
we would ask can every one teach who
has this knowledge Arc your ables'
scholars your best teachers DO not oul
superintendents always give the best Ger
ti6cate 10 HIM who knows the most ac
cording to their standard These certlh
catea are assumed to be recommendations
and a first class certificate ought to certify
to a first class teacher, but it does not ant
can ,;of undsr the present method OF ex
aninations. Trustees should therefore
hear in mind that the superintendent
does by no means guarantee the capabllltl
or efficiency of every one he grants
license to teach. An applicant may pas
the examination eyer 80 well, ana ootaN
No. certificate and stlll make ialui
In the school-room. what we Wish lh
people and especially the trustees to IN
derstood, is this That there is a grea
difference between a school on paper ant
the real school.
And since this difference, and since
first class certificate in hands of an ap
pllcant for a school is no evidence of hi
being FIRST class teacher, and since none
enough has been wasted upon poor teach
, ers, we think that tho trustees should 500
omen their eyes and put their wit, t
work to devise a mode of paying teacher
, that will be more in proportion to thei
ability and Willingness to do good woT
and their success in tie schOol-room.
Until there is a greater difference mad
in the price paid to experienced and ~
erperieaced teachers and more OF tn